Mayoral forum focuses on future development

Five mayoral candidates met at the Omaha Community Playhouse Tuesday night to try to convince undecided voter they are the right person for the job.

Mayor Jim Suttle, businessman Dave Nabity, City Councilwoman Jean Stothert, former councilman Dan Welch and state Sen. Brad Ashford discussed their plans on future development and what it means for tax dollars.

From a billion-dollar sewer overhaul to expensive road improvements with less state funding, the candidates voiced their plans to improve Omaha’s future.

“The land we use today has to be sustainable, so we can use it tomorrow -- that's not only land, that's also water, all of our natural resources,” Ashford said.

Ideas included finding new ways to get around town while others pushed for preserving parts of the town that make up Omaha’s past.

“I support the growth we've had in Omaha and out west, but I also support the infill and the projects that have been happening downtown too,” Stothert said.

Suttle pointed out things he did to keep integrity on the streets.

“We wanted to be a different city than a city of just boxes and facades. This gave us the foundation for the way Walmart looks on South 72nd Street and the way CVS pharmacy (looks) in Dundee. Aren't those good things for our city? Well, we codified that,” Suttle said.

Others argued some of those rules get in the way of the city's growth.

“I think the planning department has become over-regulatory. I think that business isn't getting done in the city of Omaha as a result. I think that developments are stalling. I think that permits are stalling,” Welch said.

Nabity questioned if the city is using tax dollars in the best way.

“There's a lot of demands on the money from the city to help launch these projects, but the problem is we're burning so much money on pension and payroll we don't have the money to do it,” Nabity said.

Omaha By Design, the Eastern Nebraska Development Corporation and the Omaha Young Professionals organized the forum, which drew in hundreds of people.

The primary is April 2.

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